A problem often faced in the field of engineering is vibration isolation. Many current applications use devices to isolate a sensitive component from a vibrating environment, or to reduce the transmission of vibration from a vibrating component into its surroundings. Currently, there are numerous ways of accomplishing vibration isolation, including passive apparatus, such as spring and damper systems, and active devices, which utilize actuation to achieve isolation and can be adapted to comply with environmental parameters and flight conditions. The drawbacks to active devices are that they require additional power sources, and are typically more complex and less robust than passive mechanisms. For many applications, passive systems are preferred because they are simpler and self-contained. U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,390 issued to Sciulli et al., teaches a passive mechanism for isolating spacecraft using titanium flexures to act as soft springs. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,947,240 and 5,803,213 issued to Davis et al., disclose a system of passive dampers in a closed geometric shape for use in load vibration isolation.
A fairly recent active material development is magneto-rheological (“MR”) fluid. MR fluids are comprised of micron sized, magnetically-polarized particles suspended in a carrier fluid. When activated by a magnetic field, the particles align along magnetic field lines and change the material's flow characteristics, such as its viscosity and bulk modulus. By varying the magnetic field flux acting on the MR fluid, the viscous damping may be modulated. U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,615 issued to Munoz describes the behavior and different chemical compositions of MR fluids.
Most prior vibration isolation devices using MR fluids have employed an active control system to regulate the magnetic field actuating the MR fluid. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,082,719; 6,196,529; and 6,196,528 issued to Shtarkman et al., disclose a spacecraft antenna vibration control damper. The vibration of the spacecraft antenna during maneuvers is sensed by an external sensor, which in turn activates the magnetic field on the MR fluid through a controller and a power supply.
The few inventions that have utilized a partially passive system for MR fluid damping are mostly for motor vehicle applications and have some aspect of active isolation. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,361 issued to Wulff et al., involves a passive MR damper that includes a constant magnetic field created by a permanent magnet in a piston, while also having a variable magnetic field provided by an electric coil. The constant magnetic field provides a “pre-stress” on the MR fluid. It is not completely passive in that it requires active control for the main isolation with the electric coil. The passive permanent magnet is typically for backup and “pre-stress.”
There is a need in the art for a passive system that makes beneficial use of the advantages inherent to magneto-rheological fluid to obtain vibration isolation over a broad frequency spectrum. The present invention fulfills this need in the art.